Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil, and because Brazil (being a former colony of Portugal), and Portugal have such a close national identity, caiprinha is also a popular drink in Portugal.

Ingredients for a Caipirinha

Most café bars serve Caipirinha and prices vary from €2.50 to €5. (The lower price can be found in inner-city bars frequented by students while the normal price in most places will be between €4 and €5.

The drink is easy to make, with the base alcohol being the most complicated part. To make a proper caipirinha you need some cachaca, which is made from sugar cane, although it isn’t the same as rum because the fermenting process is different. Cachaca is available in most supermarkets in Portugal, but if you can’t find it you can substitute vodka and make yourself what is commonly called a “caipiroska”.

Ingredients

1 or 2 limes, depending on how much you like lime

1 tablespoon brown sugar

half a cup cachaca

ice

Method

Cut the lime(s) into quarters and cut cross-wise

Put lime and sugar in a tall glass and mash with a pestle or wooden spoon

Add the cachaca to the mix and stir

Crush the ice (bash it into slush) and then add it to the drink and stir again